BEGINNINGS OF SCOTTISH LITERATURE.

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The national folk-songs, the earlier productions of which are lost to us with the exception of a few short strophes, were soon followed by a national literature. Its earliest existing memorials belong to the second half of the fourteenth century.

North-western England on the one hand, and Northumbria on the other, continued to cross the Scottish borders, linguistically as well as ethnologically. And the traditions of literature, also, were transplanted into the northern kingdom from both sides. The country to the west showed a preference for the alliterative form of verse, whether purely alliterative or in conjunction with the end-rhyme, for the employment of a rich and brilliant diction, and for handling the Arthurian legends. The country to the east showed a taste for the short rhymed-couplet of elegant construction, resembling the French syllabic metre, for powerfully drawn presentations, also an appreciation for literary undertakings with some actual significance, with some practicable object-whether the subjects were secular or religious in character. Now, since an insight into the requirements of the living Present necessarily produces a keener appreciation of political contrasts than would a mere contemplative inquiry into an ideal Past, it is not surprising to find that, of the two poetical tendencies met with in the beginnings of Scottish literature, the one in the eastern territory is distinctly national, representing the specific Scottish element both in form and substance, and that it exhibits distinctly more vigour than the poetry of the west. The Tweed and the Cheviots mark the boundary of the country more definitely than the Esk, and in a political respect as well they had marked it off more clearly. As regards language, too, the east may have shown a more definite character than the west.

Accordingly, it is natural that the literature of the eastern territory has its earliest representative in the immortal "Father of Scottish Poetry," John Barbour; whereas the literature of the west is associated with the name of Huchown, a poet to whom both Scotland and England. lay claim, and who has almost become a mythical character.

Huchown of the Awle ryale (de aula regia), as he is

E

*

called by Androw of Wyntoun, a Scottish Chronicler of the beginning of the fifteenth century, has been identified by some scholars—and not without reason-with Sir Hugh of Eglinton, whose estates and castle were situated in Ayrshire, and who married a sister of King Robert II. (1371-1390), the founder of the Stuart dynasty. Sir Hugh's lifetime might with tolerable certainty be limited by the years 1320-1381.

Of the three works which Wyntoun ascribes to the poet whom he praises so highly-"The Great Gest of Arthure," and the "Awntyre of Gawane" (Adventures of Gawayne), as well as the "Pystel of Swete Swsane" (Epistle of Sweet Susannah)—the last-mentioned appears to have been preserved.

At all events it seems likely that we have some of Huchown's work-perhaps modified somewhat as regards language only-in the Legend of the Chaste Susannah,† which is preserved in three manuscripts, and the closing words of which refer to the testimony of the "Epistle of Daniel." The legend is written in alliterative and rhymed-strophes, constructed somewhat like those of the "Anturs of Arther at the Tarnewathelan" (Adventures of Arthur at Tarn Wadling).

It is not as simple a matter to settle the question whether The Great Gest of Arthure is to be identified with the wellknown alliterative romance of the "Morte Arthure" (see above). A subtile inquiry of recent date brings forward a series of weighty and important arguments for an answer in the affirmative, and finds agreements between the romance and the statements made by the Chronicler either about or upon the authority of those "Gesta;" agreements also between the romance and the legend of Susannah with regard to language, style, and metre, certain peculiarities in the alliteration which the "Morte Arthure" has in common almost solely with poetry of recognized Scottish origin. On the other hand, the contents of the romance do not appear altogether to coincide with the presumable contents of the "Gest of Arthure," which Wyntoun mentions also under the name of "Gest hystoryal," or "Gest of Broythys *Originale Cronykil, v. 251, ff. See vol. i. p. 336.

† Angl. i. 93; Arch. lxii. 407; lxxiv. 339.

auld story." Further, there is more especially a direct contrast between them, in the detailed account given of the death and burial of Arthur in the romance, and what the Chronicler in his unbiased interpretation, distinctly enough states about the lack of any such account in Huchown's work.

Huchown's poem no doubt actually deserved the name of "Brut," or "Broite," as the Scottish people probably called it, and hence, in spite of the poetic spirit with which the whole subject is treated, it might be compared with the works of Geoffrey of Monmouth or of Layamon. Arthur, however, must have been brought even more prominently to the fore in Huchown's poem than in the works of his predecessors, and, indeed, so prominently brought forward that the name of "The Great Geste of Arthure" might appropriately be applied to the work.

A portion of this "Geste" seems subsequently-perhaps in connection with the less comprehensive "Adventures of Gawayne "-to have become the source of the "Morte Arthure." The author-unless we are to call him the compiler-of this poem probably wrote in the north of England at the beginning of the fifteenth century, and may have confined himself, in all essential points, to reproducing Huchown's work almost word for word, even though his account of Arthur's death is taken from some other source unknown to us. If our conjecture be correct, we should, nevertheless, have to pay the compiler the tribute of having selected his material appropriately, although, indeed, the plan and arrangement of the work he had before him must have afforded him the necessary suggestions. On the other hand, all the principal points of beauty in his work-and there are not a few-probably belonged to Huchown.

The picture which, in our imagination, we should have to form of the Scottish poet in accordance with the above supposition would coincide perfectly with the description

*What name Huchown himself gave to his poem is uncertain. If we may imagine a detailed title for the MS., it may have been somewhat like the following: The Geste hystoriale of the Broite or the grete Geste of Arthure. This would explain the different names given to it by Wyntoun, as well as the one that occurs in Barbour, i. 560, and also the circumstance that Wyntoun (v. 12, 272, 296) calls it "the Brwte" (mark the different form of sound), in contradistinction to the "Gest hystoryale" as the name for Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia," or any of the accounts connected with it.

which the Chronicler gives of him. Huchown's style of writing was a choice one, his diction excellent and full of refinement, and the construction of his strophes charming, although he but rarely, if ever, forsook the truth, i.e. by having invariably and in all essential points followed the tradition which, in the first instance, originated with Geoffrey of Monmouth. We may complete the picture of Huchown by a few personal characteristics, for a manly and noble spirit, a highly poetic disposition is met with in the "Morte Arthure;" the author shows a lively appreciation for nature and beauty, as well as for the splendour and the renown attached to the active life of a knight, and, further, shows genuinely human sentiments capable both of the deepest pathos as well as of the keenest sense of humour. The author of "Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knight" excels him in delicacy and wealth of invention, and his temperament also shows a greater admixture of the feminine element; but Huchown equals him in freshness and vigour of perception and representation, and-by his manly reserve and somewhat robust character-perhaps gives a more decided impression of health, without, however, a trace of coarseness.

More original is the figure of John Barbour. Of humble origin, as indicated by his name, he devoted himself to the Church, and rose to the rank of Archdeacon of Aberdeen. In this capacity, towards the end of the year 1357, he travelled to Oxford with three students to visit the University. Barbour may possibly have been connected with it at an earlier date, and made use of the opportunity that presented itself to revisit the scenes he loved, in company with the young men placed under his care; and while he superintended their studies, may have been engaged in his own learned pursuits. Barbour undertook a similar journey to England in 1364. In the following year-probably for ecclesiastical purposes-he travelled to St. Denis and other shrines in France. Three years later he crossed the Channel a second time, for the purpose of study.

The love of learning, which evidently animated Barbour, was the result of his great reading-a very rare accomplishment in his native land in those days. Scotland did not as yet possess a university, and the remote situation of a poor and small country made it difficult for those anxious

BARBOUR AND HIS TROY-BOOK.

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to learn, to participate in the gradual rise of international culture. Apart from theological and ecclesiastical books, Barbour appears to have been specially attracted by historical works, and perhaps in an even higher degree by poetry. In addition to such Latin poets as Statius, he had also read various of the French poets. His works betray not only a knowledge of the Charlemagne epics, but contain, among other matter, distinct traces of his intimate acquaintance with the "Roman de la Rose."

The archdeacon could not have remained long ignorant of the poetical talent he possessed. It is not known when he began to write poetry, or what subject he first took in hand. Many of his works may have entirely disappeared. Among those that are known, the earliest was, no doubt, his Troy-romance. It is characteristic of his intellectual vigour, that Barbour was not only the first of his own countrymen to treat the Troy saga in his native tongue, but did so before any English poet had handled the subject. Barbour-like the English author of the fifteenth century who, without knowing it, followed his example -founded his work on Guido de Columna's "Historia Trojana." Only two fragments of Barbour's work have been preserved, having by a fortunate discovery of recent years again become known: a short piece-some 596 lines of the beginning of the poem-describing part of the Argonaut expedition, and a longer fragment—3118 lines-which gives the concluding portion of the narrative, but, unfortunately, shows a considerable gap. It is evident from these fragments that Barbour's poetical independence was but little developed at the time. His reproduction is a mere translation-decidedly less original even than Lydgate's-and worked out only in descriptive passages by his having occasionally filled in suggestions given by the original. At the same time, however, these fragments of the Troy Romance betray an appreciation for form which, in its fulness and peculiar development, is not generally met with apart from the poetic gift itself. And in Barbour we have a powerful and graphic style of diction which moulds the linguistic material with great skill, and moves on smoothly and securely in short rhymed-couplets of masterly construction.